PITTSBURGH, PA (June 28, 2021) Mayor William Peduto announced today spending allocations for the $335 million in relief funding the City of Pittsburgh received as part of the American Rescue Plan.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) worked closely with City Council’s Joint Pittsburgh Recovery Task Force, made up of representatives from the Mayor’s Office and City Council, to create a spending plan that prioritizes equity, sustainability, job creation and neighborhoods. Allocations were determined using the city’s P4 principles framework of investing in people, planet, place and performance to develop a plan that addresses the needs of communities, addresses city revenue shortfalls, resumes projects halted during the pandemic and benefits residents, businesses and employees.
Funding for the new spending initiative comes from American Rescue Plan as well as additional budget re-opening shifts of existing dollars. It is being introduced to City Council tomorrow.
Some highlights of Mayor’s Peduto’s spending plan include:
Investment in People ($66 million)
- $21 Million for OwnPGH to promote affordable home ownership in Pittsburgh.
- $5 Million to create a fund at the Urban Redevelopment Authority to protect existing affordable housing.
- $6 Million to expand the City of Pittsburgh’s lot maintenance program through a workforce development initiative.
- $10 Million to expand our Office of Community Health & Safety - Allegheny Health Network co-responder model to all six zones 24/7.
- $2 Million for a new fund to support local artists who experienced financial hardship during COVID and to bring music and art into public events and facilities across Pittsburgh.
- $2.5 Million to fund a Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot.
- $19 Million to fund improvements at CitiParks Recreation Centers across Pittsburgh to include Rec2Tech build out, HVAC improvements and sustainability upgrades.
- $2 Million for community public safety facilities to respond to rise in violent crime.
- Creation of a new grant program to support youth sports organizations in the City of Pittsburgh.
Investment in Planet ($37.5 million)
- $10 Million to create a new program at the Urban Redevelopment Authority to help low to moderate income homeowners make improvements to their homes to weatherize, lower utility bills and promote renewable energy uses.
- $20 Million for removal of lead from our water and paint.
- $7.5 Million for the purchase of electric vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure for the City of Pittsburgh’s fleet.
Investment in Place ($58 million)
- $7 Million of funding for the Mayor’s 7 Avenues of Hope ($1 million each).
- $10 Million to launch the reconstructed Land Bank at the Urban Redevelopment Authority.
- $5 Million to create a fund at the Urban Redevelopment Authority to support community land trusts.
- $2 Million to close the funding gap on affordable housing development at Gladstone School in Hazelwood.
- $1 Million to the redevelopment of 1600 Broadway Avenue in Beechview.
- $2 Million for the redevelopment of Lexington Technology Park - Homewood Avenue.
- $1 Million for the Jasmine Nyree Campus in Sheraden.
- $3.5 Million to forgive small business loans from the Urban Redevelopment Authority during the pandemic.
- $1 Million to help make businesses make their “streeteries” permanent.
- $12 Million to fund the addition of 8,000 new LED streetlights that were found to be missing during the light equity analysis.
- $2 Million to complete the funding for new Davis Avenue Bridge in Brighton Heights for bikes & pedestrians.
- $2.5 Million to complete the funding for the North Avenue Streetscape Rehabilitation.
- $1 Million to complete the funding for new sidewalks on Irvine Street in Hazelwood.
- $3 Million to complete design and engineering on public step projects to make shovel ready for the infrastructure bill.
- $2.2 Million to complete design and engineering on Hill District Corridor Improvements to make shovel ready for the infrastructure bill.
- $2.8 Million to complete funding for the final segment for the conversion of Penn Circle back to two-way.
Investment in Performance ($172 million)
- $22 Million to restore critical positions cut from the City of Pittsburgh’s budget.
- $112 Million to avoid all of the potential layoffs outlined in the original 2021 City of Pittsburgh budget.
- $17 Million to restore critical budget items such as the City Cuts program for seniors and the City of Pittsburgh Facility Improvement Fund.
- $6 Million to invest in the City of Pittsburgh’s fleet to respond to the extra wear and tear vehicles received during the pandemic.
- $5 Million to undo the City of Pittsburgh’s wage freeze.
- Addresses the lost revenue of the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh.
